Ultrasonic apparatus

Abstract

An ultrasonic apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer, a driving circuit, a receiving circuit, a frequency detector, a frequency storage, a temperature detector, and an anomaly determiner. The frequency detector detects a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. The frequency storage stores a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer at a predetermined temperature. The anomaly determiner determines an anomaly of the ultrasonic transducer based on a temperature detected by the temperature detector, a resonant frequency stored in the frequency storage, and a resonant frequency detected by the frequency detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasonic apparatus comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer;   a driving circuit to cause the ultrasonic transducer to transmit sonic waves;   a receiving circuit to receive sonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer;   a frequency detector to detect a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer;   a storage to store a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer at a predetermined temperature;   a temperature detector; and   a determiner to determine an anomaly of the ultrasonic transducer based on a temperature detected by the temperature detector, the resonant frequency stored in the storage, and the resonant frequency detected by the frequency detector.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the temperature detector includes:
 a capacitance detector to detect a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer; 
 a capacitance storage to store a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer at the predetermined temperature; and 
 a temperature estimator to estimate a temperature based on the capacitance detected by the capacitance detector and the capacitance stored by the capacitance storage. 
   
     
     
         3 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature detector includes a thermistor. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element,   a case, a sound absorber, and terminals; and   the case has a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom.   
     
     
         5 . An ultrasonic apparatus comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer;   a driving circuit to cause the ultrasonic transducer to transmit sonic waves;   a receiving circuit to receive sonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer;   a Q-factor detector to detect a Q factor of the ultrasonic transducer;   a storage to store a Q factor of the ultrasonic transducer at a predetermined temperature;   a temperature detector; and   a determiner to determine an anomaly of the ultrasonic transducer based on a temperature detected by the temperature detector, the Q factor stored in the storage, and the Q factor detected by the Q-factor detector.   
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the temperature detector includes:
 a capacitance detector to detect a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer; 
 a capacitance storage to store a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer at the predetermined temperature; and 
 a temperature estimator to estimate a temperature based on the capacitance detected by the capacitance detector and the capacitance stored by the capacitance storage. 
   
     
     
         7 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the temperature detector includes a thermistor. 
     
     
         8 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element, a case, a sound absorber, and terminals; and   the case has a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom.   
     
     
         9 . An ultrasonic apparatus comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer;   a driving circuit to cause the ultrasonic transducer to transmit sonic waves;   a receiving circuit to receive sonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer;   a frequency detector to detect a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer;   a first storage to store a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer at a predetermined temperature;   a Q-factor detector to detect a Q factor of the ultrasonic transducer;   a second storage to store a Q factor of the ultrasonic transducer at the predetermined temperature;   a temperature detector; and   a determiner to determine an anomaly of the ultrasonic transducer based on a temperature detected by the temperature detector, the resonant frequency stored in the first storage, the resonant frequency detected by the frequency detector, the Q factor stored in the second storage, and the Q factor detected by the Q-factor detector.   
     
     
         10 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a resonant frequency estimator to estimate a resonant frequency at the temperature detected by the temperature detector, based on the resonant frequency stored in the first storage; and   a Q-factor estimator to estimate a Q factor at the temperature detected by the temperature detector, based on the Q factor stored in the second storage; wherein   the determiner includes:
 a first determination processor to determine whether the resonant frequency detected by the frequency detector is normal, based on the resonant frequency estimated by the resonant frequency estimator; and 
 a second determination processor to determine whether the Q factor detected by the Q-factor detector is normal, based on the Q factor estimated by the Q-factor estimator. 
   
     
     
         11 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a resonant frequency estimator to estimate a resonant frequency at the temperature detected by the temperature detector, based on the resonant frequency stored in the first storage; and   a Q-factor estimator to estimate a Q factor at the temperature detected by the temperature detector, based on the Q factor stored in the second storage; wherein   the determiner determines whether the ultrasonic transducer is normal, based on a combination of the resonant frequency estimated by the resonant frequency estimator and the Q factor estimated by the Q-factor estimator.   
     
     
         12 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the temperature detector includes:
 a capacitance detector to detect a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer; 
 a capacitance storage to store a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer at the predetermined temperature; and 
 a temperature estimator to estimate a temperature based on the capacitance detected by the capacitance detector and the capacitance stored by the capacitance storage. 
   
     
     
         13 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the temperature detector includes a thermistor. 
     
     
         14 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element, a case, a sound absorber, and terminals; and   the case has a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom.   
     
     
         15 . An ultrasonic apparatus comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer;   a driving circuit to cause the ultrasonic transducer to transmit sonic waves;   a receiving circuit to receive sonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer;   a Q-factor detector to detect a Q factor of the ultrasonic transducer;   a storage to store a Q factor of the ultrasonic transducer at a predetermined temperature;   a capacitance detector to detect a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer;   a capacitance storage to store a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer at the predetermined temperature; and   a determiner to determine an anomaly of the ultrasonic transducer based on the capacitance detected by the capacitance detector, the Q factor stored in the storage, and the Q factor detected by the Q-factor detector.   
     
     
         16 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element, a case, a sound absorber, and terminals; and   the case has a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom.   
     
     
         17 . An ultrasonic apparatus comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer;   a driving circuit to cause the ultrasonic transducer to transmit sonic waves;   a receiving circuit to receive sonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer;   a frequency detector to detect a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer;   a storage to store a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer at a predetermined temperature;   a capacitance detector to detect a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer;   a capacitance storage to store a capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer at the predetermined temperature; and   a determiner to determine an anomaly of the ultrasonic transducer based on the capacitance detected by the capacitance detector, the resonant frequency stored in the storage, and the resonant frequency detected by the frequency detector.   
     
     
         18 . The ultrasonic apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element, a case, a sound absorber, and terminals; and   the case has a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom.